THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINA 


I 


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THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 
PRESENTED  BY 

H.  Hobbs,  Jr. 

Cp971.56 

M3lik 


%C  LAKE  CYYYoftke  MOUNTAINS 


N  O  T  H  C  A  1^,0  LINA 


WithiriView  oi  the 
HIGHEST  MOUNTAINS 


A  CITY  OF  JOYOUS  HOME  LIFE 

▼  INDUSTRY  ▼  ENTERPRISE  ▼  DEVELOPMENT  ▼ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


https://archive.org/details/marionnorthcarolOOkiwa 


Such  is  the 
Motive  Hereof 


HIS  booklet  presents  facts  and  conclusions 
in  behalf  of  the  city  of  Marion  that  must 
needs  command  the  careful  attention  of  the 
whole  great  world  of  industry,  commerce 
and  finance.  For  Marion  has  earned  an  established 
place  in  this  broad  sphere  of  affairs  and  occupies  in  its 
civic  relations  a  secure  position  of  honor,  respect  and 
shining  promise. 


But  Marion  would  speak  rather  to  the  spirit  than 
the  mind  of  the  individual  reader  of  these  lines.  And 
Marion's  voice  would  address  the  ear  of  that  impelling 
spiritual  power  whose  name  is  called  by  men — 
Achievement.  To  those  who  possess  this  vital  urge, 
Marion’s  message  is  clear,  frank,  simple  and  straight¬ 
forward.  A  single  word  gives  it  expression:  Cornel 

Come  to  Marion,  where  there’s  hard  work  to  do. 
Where  there’s  welcome.  Where  there’s  ambition. 
Where  there’s  courage.  Where  there’s  opportunity. 
Where  there’s  help  and  co-operation  for  every  worthy 
man  and  woman.  Where  there’s  wealth  to  s;ain.  Come 
to  Marion — Now! 


The  KIWANIS  CLUB 
Marion,  North  Carolina 


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mm 


1BI1S 


The  Famous  Falls  of  Linville  River 


A  Drive  on  the  Shore  of  Lake 

ARION  enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of  being 
located  close  to  the  shores  of  the  largest  artifi¬ 
cial  body  of  water  in  the  Southern  States, 

Lake  James. 

This  vast  bowl  of  crystal  liquid  was  formed  by  bring¬ 
ing  together  the  flow  of  three  mountain  rivers  behind  dams 
190  feet  high.  Its  area  is  over  ten  square  miles  in  extent. 
Its  shore  line  is  152  miles  in  length. 

Matchless  Lake  James,  nestled  in  the  very  bosom  of  the 
Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  its  surface  reflecting  panoramas  of 
unutterable  beauty,  is  the  brightest  jewel  in  a  diadem  which 
nature  made  for  man’s  inspiration  and  delight. 

Fish  in  Lake  James  for  the  big  ones.  Boat  to  your 
heart’s  content.  Camp  on  its  quiet  and  lovely  shores.  Dive 
in  its  tremendous  depths.  Swim  along  its  shallow  beaches. 
Take  joy  in  Lake  James. 


/ 


antes 


Shaded  Porches  and  Shining  Pawns 


F  you  would  live  richly,  locate  your  home  in  Marion  and 
join  a  most  delightful  company  of  neighbors,  cultured  and 
hospitable,  sociable  and  sincere. 


Marion’s  elevation  of  1450  feet  above  sea-level  is  scientific¬ 
ally  correct  for  good  health.  Marion  has  no  mosquitos,  no 
malaria,  no  typhoid  or  lingering  fevers. 


And  for  children,  Marion  is  an  ideal  happy  home  town,  with 
a  fairyland  around  it  in  which  they  may  frolic  and  grow  sturdier 
through  all  seasons  of  the  year. 


Street  Scene  in  Marion 


LEAN  and  substantial  pavements,  modern  light¬ 
ing  and  all  the  conveniences  of  urban  life  place 
Marion  well  in  the  van  of  the  most  progressive 
cities  of  the  New  South — a  South  that  is  rushing  toward 
a  destiny  of  extraordinary  wealth  and  glory. 


Religion  and  Education  .  Together 

CHURCHES  and  Schools  in  Marion  are  well 
attuned  for  an  intimate  association,  each  with 
the  others,  and  both  are  equally  supported  by 
the  general  wishes  of  the  citizens. 

Marion  has  no  doubt  that  good  churches  endow  a 
city  with  public  and  private  morals  that  are  vital  to 
the  progress  and  peace  of  the  people  and  to  the  success¬ 
ful  conduct  of  business. 

And  Marion  aspires,  through  the  liberal  education 
of  its  youth,  to  speed  the  dawning  day  of  universal 
mental  training  and  attainment. 


TAXES 


N  unpleasant  subject,  true,  but 
relatively  good,  bad  or  unbear¬ 
able,  as  the  facts  may  warrant 
a  conclusion.  And  Marion  presents  a 
view  of  the  brightest  side  of  this 
matter. 

The  average  total  of  State,  County 
and  Municipal  ad  valorem  tax  rates  in 
the  Union  is  3.07%.  The  highest 
average  for  any  state  is  that  of 
Florida,  in  which  the  figure  is  7.64%. 
The  lowest  average  is  that  of  North 
Carolina,  this  being  only  1.47%. 

Based  on  a  sixty  per  cent,  valuation, 
McDowell  County’s  rate  is  1.13%, 
while  the  levy  in  Marion  is  1.50%. 

These  rates  are  not  only  exceed¬ 


ingly  low,  but  will  almost  certainly 
remain  so  under  State  laws  and 
supervision  that  sharply  limit  the  tax¬ 
ing  powers  of  Counties  and  Munici¬ 
palities. 

Stocks  and  securities  of  non-resident 
corporations  are  entirely  exempt  in 
North  Carolina.  Resident  corpora¬ 
tions  are  assessed  under  a  fair  and 
liberal  system. 

Taxation  in  Marion  is  deliberately 
intended  to  invite  investors  and  in¬ 
vestments.  Careful  study  and  con¬ 
sideration  will  assuredly  reveal  the 
promise  that  new  capital  is  guaranteed 
the  absolute  minimum  of  cost  from 
taxation. 


Courtesy  Pisgah  National  Forest 


M ountain  Laurel 


Courtesy  Pisgah  National  Forest 

A  Pastoral  Prospect 


RURAL  LIFE 


GOOD  roads  are  the 
foundation  of  an  extra¬ 
ordinarily  favorable 
state  of  rural  life  that  exists  in 
McDowell  County.  And  stand¬ 
ard  consolidated  elementary  and 
high  schools,  supervised  by  the 
County  and  State  alike,  rank 
next  in  importance  to  the  well¬ 
being  and  cheer  of  a  large  and 
growing  rural  population. 

Farming  folk  in  McDowell 
County  are  financially  able  to 
own  cars  with  which  to  move  at 
will  through  their  communities 
and  to  transport  their  products 
to  market. 

An  abundance  of  farm  pro¬ 
duce  helps  materially  to  reduce 
the  cost  of  living  in  Marion. 

McDowell  County  is  located 
in  the  famous  Thermal  Belt,  in 


which  fruits  and  tender  crops  on 
the  mountainsides  are  almost 
immune  against  dangers  of  frost 
and  chill. 

The  most  logical  lines  of  agri¬ 
culture  are  live  stock,  dairying, 
fruits,  grains  and  truck.  Cotton 
is  but  little  grown  in  McDowell 
County — a  fact  that  is  not  with¬ 
out  considerable  value  in  crop 
rotation  and  diversity  of  pro¬ 
duction. 

Strangers  have  always  been 
charmed  with  the  kindly  atti¬ 
tude  and  neighborly  courtesy  of 
the  rural  inhabitants  of  Mc¬ 
Dowell  County,  and  many  there 
are  who  have  found  it  pleasing 
to  linger  on  byways  that  lead  to 
fine  and  sturdy  homes  along  the 
countryside. 


McDowell  County  Court  House  at  Marion 


McDowell  county 


THE  well-known  unit  of 
the  good  State  of  North 
Carolina  of  which 
Marion  is  very  happily  the 
capital  and  metropolis,  combines 
conditions  of  urban  and  rural 
life  with  a  ratio  of  and  balance 
between  agriculture  and  manu¬ 
facturing  which  assure  an  al¬ 
most  uniform  and  consistent 
prosperity. 

And  when  to  these  advantages 

#  o 

is  added  the  fortunate  circum¬ 
stance  that  the  population  is 
99%  native  American,  the  socio¬ 
logical  factor  brings  the  situa¬ 
tion  to  a  close  approximation  of 
the  ideal. 

McDowell  is  a  thrifty  county, 
too,  with  rather  a  predomi¬ 


nance  of  Revolutionary  Scotch 
ancestry.  Therefore,  while 
capital  is  frankly  needed  and 
sought  in  McDowell  County,  the 
people  are  not  lacking  in  means 
of  their  own  with  which  to 
develop  industries,  as  may  be 
seen  in  existing  operations,  or 
to  pool  their  resources  with  new¬ 
comers  for  the  establishment  of 
all  worthy  enterprises  that  may 
be  proposed. 

Labor  in  McDowell  is  plenti¬ 
ful  and  willing,  and  of  a  most 
intelligent,  loyal  and  desirable 
kind.  Under  no  more  than 
reasonably  fair  treatment  of  its 
help,  every  factory  or  branch  of 
industry  is  certain  to  be  able  to 
secure  adequate,  satisfactory  and 
contended  labor. 


MARION  cordially  invites  the 
inspection  of  firms  and  indi¬ 
viduals  who  may  wish  to 
investigate  its  desirability  for  any 
line  of  business  or  industry. 

Correspondence  may  be  addressed 
to  the  Kiwanis  Club. 

Visitors  who  may  choose  to  look 
over  the  possibilities  on  the  spot  will 
be  shown  every  courtesy,  and  will  be 
conducted  to  the  source  of  such  first¬ 
hand  information  as  may  be  desired. 


MARION 


BAT  CAVE 


CHI M NET  ROCK 


Rutherfordton 


HENDERSONVILLE 


COLUMBUS 


BREVARD 


TRYON 


g  *  unville  falls 
spruce  Z  * .  LENOIR- 


THE  MAP  ABOVE 

HE  territory  that  is  presented  with  geographical  precision  by 
the  map  above  reveals  a  remarkable  strategy  in  Marion’s 
location  and  a  very  unusual  combination  of  conveniences  for 
travel  and  transport. 

Two  great  railway  systems  cross  at  Marion,  the  Southern  Railway 
and  the  Clinchfield  Railroad,  thus  establishing  a  highly  competitive 
situation  in  rates,  service  and  accommodations  to  shippers. 

One  of  these  rail  routes  affords  a  direct  connection  between  coal 
and  cotton,  with  outlets  North  and  South  that  offer  many  advantages 
to  manufacturers,  brokers,  jobbers  and  distributors. 

The  other  system  practically  covers  the  eastern  half  of  America 
and  controls  thousands  of  miles  of  trackage,  affiliated  connections  and 
quick  communication  with  the  most  important  centers. 

Motor  highways  to  Marion  are  linked  with  all  the  leading  routes 
in  the  country.  Approaching  Marion,  the  highways  offer  beautiful 
scenic  tours,  sylvan  camping  places  and  an  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  great  Blue  Ridge  Playground  region  of  North  Carolina  and  ad¬ 
joining  states. 

Motorists  will  gladly  be  routed  to  Marion  from  any  point,  upon 
request  addressed  to  the  Kiwanis  Club. 


Marion  the d 
Location  jo] 

Manufacture  \ 
Jobbers 

Resort  Hote 
Hydro  Elect 
Residential  I 
Moving  Piet 
Pleasure  Pai 
Educational 
Scenic  Enter 
Summer  Can 


NEWTON 


V  R  O 


UNCOLNTON 


T ra  n  sp  o  rta  ti  o  n 

BY  rail  in  five  direc¬ 
tions  and  by  nu¬ 
merous  paved  or 
all  -  weather  -  surfaced 
State  and  County  High¬ 
ways  Marion  is  provided 
with  facilities  of  trans¬ 
portation  that  make  this 
city  easily  the  leading 
Westernmost  shipping 
center  of  North  Caro¬ 
lina. 


logical 


velopments 
*  Studios 

'  5 

istitutions 

jises 

;  > 


Mountain  Transportation 

Shown  below  a  flume  for  delivery  of  timber  products 
cut  from  mountainsides 


MARION’S  PURE 
WATER  SUPPLY 


CLEAR  and  sparkling,  cool,  ap¬ 
petizing  and  germ-free, 
Marion’s  municipal  water  sup¬ 
ply  is  received  from  the  virgin 
wilderness  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains, 
and  is  delivered  to  its  destination  by  the 
power  and  law  of  gravity  alone. 

The  United  States  of  America  owns 
the  generous  boundary  of  mountain 
lands  from  which  are  gathered  the  liquid 
contributions  of  hundreds  of  springs 
and  streamlets  that  compose  the  supply. 
Thence  via  big  covered  mains  the  flow 
rushes  over  the  intervening  miles  to 


Marion,  where  it  is  distributed  to  con¬ 
sumers  at  purely  nominal  rates. 

The  Marion  watershed,  held  under 
long-term  lease  from  the  Government,  is 
fenced,  posted  and  patrolled  to  prevent 
all  possibility  of  human  contamination 
in  any  form.  And  for  still  greater  pre¬ 
caution,  laboratory  analysis  of  the  water 
is  regularly  repeated  and  maintained. 

Marion  water  is  collected  from  such 
lovely  spots  as  those  shown  on  the  op¬ 
posite  page  and  below,  and  in  all  essen¬ 
tial  qualities  of  wholesome  goodness,  it 
is  scientifically  supreme  in  purity. 


Buck  Creek  Falls 


Beautiful  Catawba  Falls 


Courtesy  Pisgah  National  Forest 


V eranda ,  Lake  Mountains 


THE  MARION  LAKE  CLUB 

HERE  the  social  life  of  the  community  is  centered,  on 
the  sightly  shores  of  Lake  James,  and  newcomers 
are  here  drawn  into  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
fine  fellowship  that  results  from  cordial  contacts  offered 
them  by  the  older  residents. 

Here,  too,  is  one  of  the  principal  sources  of  the  brilliant 
civic  spirit  that  has  thoroughly  established  Marion  as  a  city 
whose  destiny  is  without  limit  or  pause. 


Fairway  and  Hazard 


FORE! 


OLF  is  another  civic 
shape  and  substance 
Lake  Club. 


asset  of  Marion  that  has  taken 
under  the  labors  of  the  Marion 


And  Marion  offers  a  sporty  brand  of  golf — up  hill  and 
down  dale,  with  surprises  for  the  unwary — in  a  scenic  environ¬ 
ment  that  is  not  surpassed  by  any  golf  course  beneath  the  sun. 


1 1 

* 

' 

■: 

[  i 

| 

Neighbors  in  Industry 


FACTORIES 


WHEN  new  manufacturing  enterprises  are  fully  estab¬ 
lished  in  Marion;  after  the  die  is  cast  by  large  invest¬ 
ments  and  the  owners  are  compelled  to  abide  by  conditions 
as  they  may  develop — then  they  learn  that  Marion  people  are 
truly  friendly  towards  industries. 

For  only  then  can  Marion  show  an  attitude  of  definite  good 
will  in  the  larger  way.  Then  there  are  tax  assessments  to  be 
adjusted,  and  Marion’s  attitude  is  fair  and  constructive.  There 
are  water,  sewerage  and  utilities  to  be  supplied,  and  Marion’s 
spirit  is  liberal.  There  are  police  and  legal  protection  to  be  pro¬ 
vided,  and  Marion’s  response  is  certain.  There  are  many,  many 
ways,  indeed,  in  which  Marion  evidences  a  public  sentiment  in 
behalf  of  industries  that  will  always  be  valuable  and  pleasing  to 
the  proprietors  of  new  enterprises. 


Grandfather  Mountain 

NATIONAL  PLAYGROUNDS 


THE  American  Government 
owns  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  acres  of  forest-covered 
lands  throughout  the  region 
in  which  Marion  is  located.  And  all 
these  large  areas,  except  compara¬ 
tively  small  portions  that  are  leased 
mainly  for  watersheds  and  lumber¬ 
ing,  are  free  and  wonderful  play¬ 
grounds  of  the  people. 

Mountains  in  these  National 
Forests  reach  the  greatest  altitudes 
of  all  eastern  America.  The  highest 
point  is  more  than  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
A  hundred  peaks  soar  six  thousand 


feet  into  the  pure  blue  above.  There 
are  scores  of  gorges,  waterfalls,  cliffs 
and  matchless  scenes.  There  are 
dozens  of  splendid  places  to  camp, 
well  kept  motor  roads,  bridle  paths 
and  carefully  marked  trails  for 
hiking. 

There  is  protected  wild  big  game 
in  one  section,  and  in  others  hunters 
will  find  bear,  deer,  turkey  and  small 
quarry.  There  is  good  fishing,  too, 
especially  for  the  wary,  wily  and 
wiry  mountain  trout. 

There’s  joy  in  these  vast  virgin 
forests,  of  which  every  American 
may  partake  to  his  heart’s  content ! 


Kiwanis  Hospitality 

VISITING  Kiwanians  will  find  a  warm  welcome  at 
the  weekly  meetings  of  the  Kiwanis  Club,  on  Tues¬ 
days  at  12:30  p.m.,  at  the  Marianna  Hotel. 

All  visitors  in  Marion  are  referred  to  individual  officers 
or  members  of  the  Club  for  any  aid,  courtesy  or  service  that 
may  be  desired.  Every  Kiwanian  will  esteem  it  a  privilege 
to  meet  visitors  and  to  serve  them  with  a  true  spirit  of 
kindliness. 


Marianna  Hotel,  Kiwanis  Headquarters 


\ 


\ 


r  ~V  HE  people  who  populate  the  city  of 
j  Marion  have  learned  the  greatest  of 
all  lessons  in  civic  progress.  And 
that  lesson  is  the  one  which  teaches — team¬ 
work. 


Marion  people  get  together,  work  to¬ 
gether,  play  together,  stay  together — and 
there’s  nothing  can  beat  this  plan  for  results 
in  happiness  and  achievement  for  all  con¬ 
cerned. 


With  a  single  mighty  voice,  therefore, 
and  with  a  heart  united  in  purpose,  Marion 
calls  to  those  who  would  claim  the  highest 
prizes  of  life— Come! 


The  Kiwanis  Club 

Marion,  North  Carolina 


..  fy 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


|  00030741412 

FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


